Dew on Dandelion
Aug, 2016Views
236
Likes
Top Ranks
Top 20 rankTop 20 rank week 1
Top 30 rank
Top 10 rankTop 10 rank week 3
Categories
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Discover more photos See all
Behind The Lens
Location
I took this photo at the gardens at Pemaquid Point Lighthouse in Maine, USA. It's one of my all-time favorite places to visit, but this was the first time I saw the incredible dew on all the plants in the gardens. Honestly, I never really noticed the garden, because the ocean views and rocks are so spectacular.Time
My family was staying in a cottage just a quarter of a mile from Pemaquid Point, so it was a great opportunity to wake up early (well, not too early - about 7am) and take pictures. I expected to take pictures of the lighthouse, the ocean and the amazing rocks. The fog was amazing and created this gorgeous dew on everything. I don't think I made it to the lighthouse that morning, because I was too preoccupied with the flowers and plants.Lighting
Sometimes, luck is the best answer when it comes to lighting. At 7am, the sun probably would've been too bright, but the fog created an awesome diffusion of light. When taking macros, I also try to get a clean background. The green/black background helps make the dewdrops "pop."Equipment
I used my Nikon D90 - no flash, no tripod.Inspiration
I've been fascinated by dewdrops on flowers, leaves, stems, etc. for years. I'm amazed how these perfect little circles can stay and create such an artistic look.Editing
Honestly, this image did not require much post-processing. I cropped it a little, sharpened a little and adjusted the background to make it a little darker and bumped up the contrast some.In my camera bag
It's not camera equipment, but I almost always carry a kneeling pad. I take a lot of macro pictures and have to get low on the ground many times. That pad has saved my knees many times.Feedback
You have to get up early to capture dewdrops. The minute the sun starts hitting the dew, your time is limited. Better yet, get up early on a cloudy day, and you'll have even more time with the dew. If it is sunny, I keep an eye out for shady areas and take pictures there, then as the sun moves, I move to new shady areas. I also use a very shallow depth of field with macro images. It helps isolate the area you want to emphasize.
